Convertible automobile body



G. H. WONG CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed Oct. ,8, 1921 [raw/2757" fiaff 17 M729- Patented May 1, 1923.

UNITED STATES GATT H. WONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE BODY.

Application filed October 8, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GATT H. VVONG, a citizen of the Republic of China, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, U. S. A., have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Convertible Automobile Bodies, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to convertible automobile bodies and has to do more particularly with bodies of that character wherein the seats are arranged to be converted into a bed. A feature of my invention is the provision of an improved structure of this characterin which the front and rear seats are arranged so as to have the seat cushions and back rests shiftable into horizontal alignment so as to provide a bed inside of the body of the car.

For, a better understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the accom panying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an automobile body showing the seats in ordinary riding position; I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along theline 2-2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, along the line 3-3 of Fig.2, through one of the hinges at the bottom of the front seat back rest;

Fig. 4: is a sectional view along-the line 44 of Fig. 2 showing the rear seat back rest sliding hinge construction;

Fig. 5 is a top, front, and right end view of a lock for the front seat back rest; and

Fig. 6 is atop and right end view of the bolt which slides into the lock body shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now more in detail to the con struction -0f-my invention as illustrated herein, I have shown a typical automobile body A having a front seat B, rear seat C and extra or intermediate seats'D.

In the front "seat construction I preferably employ the usual seat cushion 10 which normally rests in an angular position but "having a hinged foot 11 secured to its bottom so that it maybe lifted into a horizontal position as indicated by'the dotted lines.

The back rest 12 of the front seat is arpositionindicatedby the dotted lines and to this end I provide a sliding hinge arranged Serial No. 506,331.

so that the back rest is first lifted upwardly and then tilted backwardly and thereafter moved forwardly against the front seat cushion. This front back rest has such a hinge at each end, said hinge comprising a stud 14 secured in a plate 15 by a bolt 16, the plate being suitably secured inside the side frame 17 and projecting through the hinge plate 18 which is secured to the body frame 19. Said plate 18 is slotted at 4:9 with an abrupt rise at the rear portion so as to per mit a vertical movement of the back rest 12 and stud 14;. At the top of each end of the back rest where it adjoins the body frame I provide a locking device in the form of a block 20 having a bolt 21' slidably mounted in the horizontal slot 22. A vertical slot 23' is also provided for receiving a horizontally extending stud 2 1 which is rigidly fastened to a plate 25 attached to the side frame of the back rest. With the seat in its normal or riding position this locking stud 24 rests in the bottom of the slot 23 being held therein against vertical movement by the bolt or sliding plate 21. In order to hold this bolt 21 in place, and keep it from coming out from vibrations of the car, I lock it in its [closed position by a set screw 27 which is adapted to be turned down into the recess 28 in the block 20. In order to lo'ckthe stud and thereby also the back rest 12 and body sides from chattering or relative vibration I lock the stud 24 by a set screw 29 carried in the body 20 of the look.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown the lock for the right side of the car but it will be apparent that the left side lock will be the same except a reversal of the slot 23.

The body illustrated herein is of the seven passenger type and therefore, I have shown two intermediate or extra seats D which are of the usual foldingtype adapted to be tilted forwardly against the back of the front seat. These seats, however, differ from the ordinary type in that the legs 30 thereof are vertically adjustable so that the seat may be lowered into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and thereby act as a support for the back restof the front seat and the seat cushion of the rear seat. This adjustment is provided because it is more comfortable to have the seat elevated as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1 when using preferably arrange the rear seat cushion 31 I shown in Fig. 1, prevent a forward move- .ment of the seat cushion 31. In order to shift this cushion to its bed position is lifted out .of its resting place and the hinge members 33turnedback. The seat is then placed in its forward position resting on the intermediate seat D and cushion support 32, as indicated by the dotted lines. a

.The back rest 34; for the rear seatis arran ed ,to. be drawn forwardly into its dotted line. position and to this end I provide a; slotted hinge or support at eachside .endof the back rest. This sliding hinge ineludes. anelongated member formed up of sheet metalhaving side flanges 35 for securing it to the framework 36,,of the body. A

.ucentral slot 37, extends along the slide and receives a horizontally extending stud 38 securedto the end frame 39 by means of a plate 40, The stud 38 is fastened to the plateljby alshouldered threaded end which receives, a nut {11. Thus, this hinged stud is insertedgthrough the walls of the rear back rest and then its plate 40 fastened thereto in a suitable; manner preferably by a sufficient number of screws extending therefo eh To, shift the rear seat back rest into its horizontal orfibed position the bottom part is pulled forwardly and thereby dropping thetop part downwardly untilthe studs 38 rest, inthe bottom of theslot 37 The front edge of thebackrest 34 then rests upon a suitable support 12.

To ,conyert the body from a riding position to. a bed construction the front seat cushion 10 i simply lifted into its dotted Z0 al e i of thehin e. arse oif' h a that the bzfck may be iew'aed, backwards be: 2 as 51 7 :HSPa] rqbe rail it; isthengrasped and the back re'st' 1'2' lifted vertically to the extent F ne position thereby dropping the folding -egs, l1 so as' to keep the cushion in a horia ar seats D areth'en lowered into their dotted line ,position by adjusting the legs 30' thereof, also lowering the back rests. The in a t the top of the side ends are tlienireleas'edby unscrewing the set screws 27 29tllerein an? withdrawing the slide or t e slot 23. The handle or of the movement of and 14 in the slot 19 raises the locking studs e slots 23 in the locking" blocks into its horizontal position after which it is shifted forwardly in the hinge slots 19 to abut the front seat cushion 10.

The rear seat cushion is then lifted out of its riding position and hinges 33 folded back after which the seat 31 is placed in its forward or bed position as indicated by the dotted lines.

The rear seat backrest 34 is now moved into its horizontal bed position by pulling the lower end forward thereby permitting the upper end to slide downwardly in the slotted hinge and the back placed in its horizontal position abutting the cushion 31, as indicated by the dotted lines. e

,To convert the bed construction to ariding position it is only necessary to reverse the operations just described and i ill be apparent that by the simple arrangement of hin esand shiftable cushions the conversion from one to the other is very readily and easily perfonned, taking but a few moments.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred form of construction using a seven passenger type of body but whenusing my invention with the ordinary five passengerbody in which the extra seats are not provided I simply provide suitable supports which may be of the character used on the extra seats shown.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is '1. In a convertible automobile body of thecharacter described, front and rear seats having seat-cushions and back-rests, the seat-cushions and back-rests being readily adjustable into horizontal alignment so as to form a bed, means whereby the front seat-cushion may beiraised from an angular to a horizontal position, a, slidably pivotal hinge mounted at each end of the front backrest whereby said back-rest may be tilted backwardly into horizontal alignment with the seat-cushion and slid into abutment therewith, means whereby the rear seatcushion may he slid forwardly and supported in horizontal alignment with the front back-rest, and a slidably pivotal hinge mounted at each end of the rear seat backrest whereby the bottom of the rear backrest may be drawn forwardly to the rear seat-cushion, and the top of the back-rest dropped downwardly.

2. In an automobile body of the character described having cushioned sides, front and rear seats having seat-cushions and back-rests, and means for readily adjusting the seat. cushions and back-rests into horizontal alignment between the side cushions, said means including asupport for holding the front seat-cushion horizontally, a hinge having a slidable pivot for securingthe. bottom of the back-restof the front seatat its sides whereby it may be tilted backward horizontally and shifted forwardly'to abut tom end'may be drawn forwardly between the seat cushion and a support therefor, a the side cushions to the rear seat-cushion so 10 support for the rear seat-cushion whereby as to drop the top end down to horizontal it may be drawn forwardly to rest on said alignment with the front end.

front back-rest support, and a sliding con- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe nection mounted between the back-rest and my name this 30th day of September A. D.,

side at each end thereof for supporting the 1921.

back-rest of the rear seat whereby the bot- GATT H. WONG. 

